Mmmm Meatballs with wine-flavoured tomato sauce

This recipe has been enhanced over time through experimenting with different ingredients. The basic method is very simple: brown meatballs, add onions and garlic, wine, sauce and serve with pasta. Try it and comment if you have any ideas about improving it.

Ingredients
12 Italian Style Meatballs
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1 Onion finely chopped
1/2 Fresh Garlic finely chopped
Salt and Pepper
1 cup of Wine (Red or white)
1 Tsp Basil
1 Tsp Oregano
1 Bay Leaf
490g Passata Sauce
1/2 Tbs Tomato Paste
100 ml Hot Water


Method
1. In large saucepan heat olive oil. Fry meatballs, turning to brown all over.
2. Add onion and garlic to pan and fry till onions are translucent.
3. Season with Salt and Pepper.
4. Add wine and cook down for 2 minutes.
5. Add basil, oregano and bay leaf to pan. Stir well.
6. Add Passata Sauce, tomato paste and water to cover meatballs. Stir well.
7. Bring to the boil then turn heat down to low and simmer for 15 mins.
8. Serve on pasta seasoned with finely chopped parsley

This Fijian Indian Fish Curry Recipe is to die for!

My Fijian Indian friends Akshay and Jyotsna cooked this dish for me and I have to say it is the best fish curry I have ever eaten! In fact, they commented on how well it tasted to their own finely tuned palates. That's saying something!

Try it yourself, take your time, check and adjust for flavours along the way. You'll be surprised how easy it really is.

Method (with ingredients embedded in list below):

1. 2 TBS oil in a pan, large enough to stir a fair portion of curry.
2. Heat oil until medium hot and add 1 quill of cinamon, 1/2 chopped onion. When it starts to caramelise, add 3-4 cloves of crushed garlic and 3 chillies (finely chopped).
3. Separately in a bowl, combine 2 tsp good quality Garam Masala, 1 1/2 tsp tumeric and 100ml of cold water to make a paste. stir until well combined.
4. Add paste to the fried onion and garlic mixture and stir to combine.
5. Add 1/2 can of tomatoes, mushed through your hands as you add it to the pan. (do not use tomatoes if you adapt this recipe with meat such as chicken or seafood such as prawns/shrimp)
   
6. Add 100-200ml of water to make a nice juice in the curry.
7. Cook on medium for 15 minutes.
8. Place the firm white fillets of fish (we used Ling fillets) as deep as possible in the curry sauce, wait a couple of minutes and then turn only once!
9. Once the fish is cooked through, stir through a handful of chopped coriander.
   

Chinese Chilli Rice

Introduction
This little creation of mine is an adaptation from a savoury rice dish that my Chinese chef mentor, Harry, taught me during my Advanced Chinese Cooking Certificate Course. Harry had a knack for combining the perfect ingredients, and my addition of dried red chillis in this dish lifts it to a new height, especially for a chilli nut like me! Great as a light lunch or accompanying a robust main course dish, such as mongolian lamb (recipe to come).

Ingredients
2 cups cooked white rice
Small can (or fresh) sliced bamboo shoots
6 Green shallots (sometimes called green onions), 2 cm lengths
Handful of dried red chillis, 2 cm lengths
4 Chinese Sausages (Lap Cheong), sliced thinly on diagonal
2 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
2 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
2 Tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp Chilli Bean Sauce (can substitute other chilli sauces)
1 Tbsp Peanut Oil (for stir frying)
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
1. Heat oil in a wok or very large fry pan. Need plenty of room to stir all ingredients.
2. Add shallots and bamboo shoots (can add capsicum and other vegies as well)
3. Stir fry for a minute to release flavour in oil.
4. Add sausage and rice. Stir fry for 3 minutes until rice is heated through and slightly brown.
5. Add wet sauce ingredients and fold in with large spatula.
6. Add salt and pepper to season to your liking. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh sliced shallots over the top.

Buttermilk Pancakes

Introduction
This amazing showstopper of a dessert is perfect in any weather for a more casual dining experience. I wouldn't server as a five star option but anything under five star and it's perfect!

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups sour cream
2 large eggs
4 tsp vanilla extract (not essence)

Method:
1. Whisk ingredients from flour to salt in one bowl
2. Mix remaining ingredients separately in another bowl
3. Combine two mixtures well
4. Fry in butter/oil hot mix in pan to create thick cakes.
5. Add berries reduced with water and sugar as sauce, and good quality vanilla bean ice cream or similar for perfect dessert.